Characteristics of auroral electron precipitation on the morningside

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA091iA10p11225· OSTI ID:6984178

Lyons, L R; Fennell, J F

Quantitative information on auroral electron precipitation is needed to evaluate the effects of the precipitation on the ionosphere and upper atmosphere. In this paper we present such information for the mormingside aurora. We use simultaneous observations of precipitating electrons and auroral images from the low-altitude, polar-orbiting DMSP-F6 satellite, and we relate specific precipitation features to specific types of auroras. We find the equatorward region of diffuse aurora to have precipitating electron energy fluxes, epsilon-c/sub p/, which typically reach 10 ergs/cm/sup 2/ s, and such fluxes can extend over several degrees in latitude. Energy spectra over the diffuse aurora are quite hard and show no evidence of acceleration by a field-aligned potential drop, V/sub parallel/. The poleward region of structured aurora includes a soft background of relatively weak, uniform precipitation. Arclike structured precipitation results from variable V/sub parallel/ acceleration of this background. Over the arcs, epsilon-c/sub p/ can exceed 1 erg/cm/sup 2/ s.

• Research Organization: Space Sciences Laboratory, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, California
• OSTI ID: 6984178
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 91:A10; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
AURORAE
AURORAL ZONES
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
DATA ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
ELECTRON SPECTRA
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY SPECTRA
IMAGES
SATELLITES
SPECTRA